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Redguards
Redguards, originally a corruption of the Yokudan word Ra Gada (meaning warrior wave), are an infraspecies of Humans indigenous to the lost continent of Yokuda on the planet Nirn. Despite the location of their homeland they are now found in Tamriel's province of Hammerfell, which they swiftly and decisively conquered long ago after their own continent sank in a manner similar to Atlantis. Because of their quick taking of Hammerfell, they are renowned Tamriel-wide as the fiercest, most versatile and naturally gifted warriors on the entire continent. Both their versatility as well as their overall ferocity have been known to also manifest itself in their personalities, as well, which causes them to also make for the most effective scouts. However, it also leads to them working better in small units as opposed to being deployed as rank-and-file soldiers, making them skirmishers, at best. Physiology Human in nature, the skintone of the Redguards is dark, indicating that Yokuda or perhaps just their own homeland was plains or savanna, as this ecosystem would lead to the local star always bearing down upon them—this makes them similar to other Human infraspecies, such as the Africans or the Erudites. Though dark-skinned, the exact level of darkness is variable, ranging from a simple light brown to nearly straight black. Their hair ranges from thick mats to wiry, tightly curled ringlets. In terms of height comparison, they are largely average, well muscled and sturdy, making them similar to the Nords or even the Orsimer. Through unknown evolutionary traits adapted in their homelands on Yokuda, they possess innate and unmatched agility and a very hardy constitution that allows them to power through poisons and disease with uncanny ease. They possess a prolific level of endurance as well, which lets them excel in any activity, especially combat, that demands a sustained effort. Culture thumb|left|An example of Redguard architecture. A product of its natural environment, Redguard (née Yokudan) culture is primarily martial by nature: Every single man, woman and child is taught in the arts of war and combat from a very young age, making the entire society a weapon of war, leaving battle with them difficult—in fact, they have never truly been defeated by any invading force since their initial arrival in Tamriel (though it could be argued that mother nature won against them when Yokuda sank beneath the waves). They have also never been entirely assimilated into any culture or empire, including the Aldmeri Dominion and Tiber Septim's Empire. Redguards are a clever lot when it comes to the defense of their territory. For instance, despite the schismatic differences between their Crown and Forebear factions, the two have proven time and again that they will easily set aside their differences in order to protect their lives or their culture. Unlike the similar-hued Erudites, Redguards fear or at least lack a general understanding of magic and how it works. They have shown themselves to particularly detest the arts of Conjuration, considering it in tandem with Necromancy and Mysticism as it is believed to tamper with minds. Despite this feeling, a number of Redguards have developed a fondness for Destruction spells, which suit their overall culture fairly well. Religiously speaking, their belief system is descended primarily from the traditional Yokudan pantheon, though pockets of their race have come to embrace the Tamrielic gods instead. Chief Redguard deities include: *Diagna *Hoonding *Leki *Malooc *Morwha *Onsi *Ruptga *Satakal *Sep *Tava *Tu'whacca *Zeht History First Era (1E) Borne from the Yokudans, the first almost-eight hundred years or so of their culture (when they were still Yokudan) is not well documented, but it is known that in 1E 792 their home continent of Yokuda sank into the ocean after a group of Ansei Yokudans known as the Hiradirge took vengeance upon the land after they were defeated in some long-forgotten battle. Those Yokudans who survived the tragedy then sailed east to settle the island of Herne, just off the coast of Volenfell (the Dwemer name for the region, which would later become referred to primarily as Hammerfell. However, while the majority of refugees remained on this island, a group of Yokudan warriors called the Ra Gada would later travel to the mainland in 1E 808. Proving themselves capable soldiers, they successfully swept across the province and claimed as much land as they could, slaughtering and enslaving the local beastfolk and Nedic tribes in their wake. When the Ra Gada eventually drove out the Orsimer, Yokudan royalty known as Na-Totambu left Herne to settle on the mainland, as well, leading to the transformation into the Redguard culture. Initially isolationists, the new Redguard culture refused to open up to the other Tamrielic cultures, choosing to keep their Yokudan language intact and avoiding trade with any and all neighboring societies. It was not until the Redguards and the Bretons realized that they had a common enemy in the Orcs of Orsinium that they would finally open trade to High Rock. By 1E 950, the Siege of Orsinium had begun with the outcome in favor of the Redguard-Breton alliance. Needing to more easily communicate with their trading partners and looking to better their treaty creation policies, they chose by and large to give up on their inherent language and adopted that spoken by the Bretons, though pockets of individuals instead decided to continue speaking in the old Yokudan tongue, preserving to some extent their culture in this manner, at least for a time. Second Era (2E) During the Second Era, the Redguard society split itself into two separate factions: The Crowns, whom followed the royal Na-Totambu lineage and strove to hold onto their Yokudan cultural traditions; and the Forebears, descendants of the Ra Gada who instead wished to fully assimilate themselves with the rest of Tamriel for the express purpose of commerce and politics. This would lead to a civil war by 2E 864, during which their king, Thassad II was slain. His son, A'Tor, would go on to lead the Crowns' efforts, yet it would ultimately be the Forebears who would win the conflict, due to backing by the Imperial Empire. With this victory, the province of Hammerfell was absorbed into the Septim Empire, though some consessions were made upon the successful revolt of Stros M'kai. This would leave their society split for a vast amount of time, with northern regions of Hammerfell keeping with Yokudan traditions, dress and personality, and the southern regions tending to be more open with the rest of Tamriel. Third Era (3E) In 3E 249, a pretender popped up, claiming entitlement over the Camoran throne. Known today as the Camoran Usurper (his true name has been lost to the annals of history), he successfully wrested Valenwood from Imperial control. With Valenwood now free, the usurper marched northward and seized control of any land he was able to conquer. Four years later (3E 253), the cities of Rihad and Taneth sent out urgent calls for help towards Elinhir to the north; however tension that still existed between the Crowns and Forebears left these pleas to go unanswered. It would not be until 3E 267 that the Camoran Usurper would be defeated, ending his reign after 18 years. Because of their choice to refuse aid to Rihad and Taneth 144 years prior, Forebear cities chose to refuse aid to Crown cities as they were being overrun by Nords during the War of the Bend'r-mahk in 3E 397. A land dispute in 3E 403 over the island of Betony between the Bretons of Daggerfall and the Redguards of Sentinel would come to be known as the War of Betony. It would see the death of the King of Sentinel, Camaron. The aftermath of the war would leave tension between the two former allied provinces within the Iliac Bay region. In 3E 417, The Warp in the West took place. The Oblivion Crisis did not seem to greatly affect the Redguard or their Hammerfell province, although it is known that they did not fair as well as the Argonians of Black Marsh despite their martial prowess. Fourth Era (4E) In 4E 171, the Great War broke out after Emperor Titus Mede II refused to cede large tracts of land including the southern reaches of Hammerfell to the Aldmeri Dominion. Ultimately however the Thalmor would win the conflict by 4E 175 and the Empire was forced to hand over rights to allow the Dominion to occupy parts of Tamriel as part of the White-Gold Concordat. Despite this treaty, the Redguards of Hammerfell refused to accept the ruling and chose to go to combat against their Thalmor occupiers. After years of blodshed they were successful in repelling the Dominion invasion, and only 5 years after the treaty was signed, in 4E 180, a Second Treaty of Stros M'kai was written to officially decree that Thalmorian forces would withdraw from Hammerfell. This action finally reunited the Crowns and Forebears into a single Redguard society, and left the Redguards biter toward the Empire for what they considered to be an outright betrayal against them. They proceeded to claim that their victory was evidence that the Concordat had been a mistake and that the Empire would have eventually won the Great War had they simply kept fighting.